Attainment targets for protein intake using standardised, concentrated and individualised neonatal parenteral nutrition regimens

Abstract

Neonatal parenteral nutrition (NPN) regimens that are individualised (iNPN) or standardised concentrated NPN (scNPN) are both currently used in preterm clinical practice. Two recent trials (one iNPN and one scNPN) each compared standard (control) and high (intervention) parenteral protein and energy dosage regimens and provided data about actual protein intake. We hypothesised that scNPN regimens would achieve a higher percentage of the target parenteral protein intake than their corresponding iNPN regimens. We calculated the daily individual target parenteral protein intake and used the daily parenteral protein intake to calculate the target attainment for protein intake in each infant for the two control (iNPN: n = 59, scNPN: n = 76) and two intervention (iNPN: n = 65; scNPN: n = 74) groups. The median (IQR) target attainment of high-dose protein was 75% (66-85) versus 94% (87-97) on days 1-15 for iNPN and scNPN regimens respectively (p < 0.01). The median (IQR) target attainment of standard dose protein was 77% (67-85) versus 94% (91-96) on days 1-15 for iNPN and scNPN regimens, respectively (p < 0.01). This was associated with improved weight gain (p = 0.050; control groups only) and head growth (p < 0.001; intervention groups only). scNPN regimens have better target attainment for parenteral protein intakes than iNPN regimens.